Post 1
Religion can be defined briefly which would be sufficient for say a religious follower, yet a person searching for an academic explanation would not accept these brief answers because the definition covers more than every possible form of religion. Some examples of brief definitions are religion is defined as “sacred” or religion is a persons “ultimate concern”. A person’s ultimate concern could be that they overcome cancer but this obviously is not considered a religion. Although brief definitions do define some aspects of religion a more detailed definition provides less room for error when determining what religion actually is. Smart presents a definition that is multilayered as compared to the unspecific (umbrella) definitions offered by others. Smart defines religion as requiring seven components in order to be classified as a religion. These seven components consist of myths, rituals, experiences, doctrines, ethics, social aspect and material forms. By myth Smart means stories about people and events in order to provide followers with proof of their faith and the truth that this religion holds. Rituals are the daily, weekly, annual activities that followers perform in order to experience closeness to whatever or whoever is worshiped. Experiences are the independent feelings that a follower feels while performing the rituals or recreation of religious myths. A doctrine is the faith system itself and ethics are the moral codes that are followed in day to day life. The social aspect refers to the church and other activities with followers of the same religion. Lastly the material forms consist of anything physical such as literature, particular clothing styles, objects and even people, any physical thing that brings an individual closer to what is considered holy or sacred.
The study of religion has been going on for many years. Currently scholars are using a combination of the way religions were studied in the past and also more recently discovered techniques. There are many different ways to study religion depending on the goal of the study. There is theology which is research done from by an actual follower of the faith being studied, obviously there is a bias here regardless of how unbiased the study attempts to be. There is phenomenology which is a study done by a person that does not practice the religion but attempts to observe the religion as if they were a follower. These are an example of the basic types and there are many more used to study religion. It appears that most of the studies separate religion into three different categories. These categories obviously vary depending on each study and who creates it but the basic three are a negatively viewed stage, a positive stage and an advanced stage that is unbiased. Religious studies are currently done using the following three methods: a study of the religion done as a follower but not accepting all the truths, the second stage is a study of the social aspects of the religion and trying to find its origins. The final stage of the religious study is to determine the effects of the religion on a persons mind and whether or not the religion is helpful or harmful.
Religion is an important topic to study especially in the United States because America is the melting pot of every culture and religion. By studying the different religions a person is able to understand better why people act or dress in a particular manner. Once individuals know more about what is foreign to them the less frightening these religions appear. Increasing one’s knowledge about worldly ideas will not only benefit the individual but society as a whole. American society began with lots of similar religions and people, but as time goes on and immigration continues many new religions and cultures have been and will continue to be introduced. Instead of being frightened by these changes the study of religion will help create a better understanding if not simply a tolerance for these foreign lifestyles.
I was raised and baptized Catholic, later I decided to be baptized Christian and currently I believe that there is something out there but what it is I do not know. I believe that religion was created for social purposes but it also is part of each person’s collective unconscious. Jung talks about archetypes in dreams originating from a persons collective unconscious, I agree with Jung in regards to this. I believe that people have a desire to find meaning in the symbolism that occurs in their dreams. This symbolism helps push individuals towards or away from religion depending on what archetypes are found in their personal unconscious. Religion is not only experienced on an individual level it can also be experienced on a social level through a church or organization for example. This is the social aspect of religion that is necessary for the public to feel that there is purpose to their individual lives. Religion and religious promises create a goal for people to work towards whether in a group or on an individual basis. When people feel that they have a goal to reach then they live longer than people that believe their lives have no significant purpose.
The possibility of religion decaying is hard to determine. Certain aspects of religion could decay and disappear depending on the scientific research that is discovered over time. I firmly believe that religion in some form will always be around because people need to feel that their lives have purpose and meaning besides their day to day activities. Religion gives individuals meaning to their daily tasks and keeps people’s spirits high which in turn lengthens their life span. Another reason that religion will not completely decay is because of memes. Religious memes have lasted throughout time thus far and will continue to be passed from generation to generation in order to keep some form of religion alive. Memes are key ideas that are repeated and transferred by one person to another. Only certain meme’s catch and survive the test of time but these memes are partially responsible for keeping religion alive.
Lane’s thesis is entirely accurate. Every individual dreams something different and who are we to judge whose dream is more valid than another. There is truth to some degree in each and every dream but these truths may be hidden in archetypes of some form and not necessarily to be taken at face value. Religious people can use any sign as a message to continue the path they are on or to stray from that path. Every religion uses personal experiences to reassure their followers that they are following the right path and that the religion they have chosen is the right one. There is no way to stop this and this type of reasoning will continue to be used in future religions simply because personal experience is a part of Smart’s definition of religion and many others agree.